Coin-controlled mechanism for use with vending machines



April 17, 1928. 1,666,242

L. T. LEET COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM'FOR USE WITH VENDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 23, 1926 INVENTOR v LYNN. TLEET ggi/mfi/wy 17165 ATTORAZEYS Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

LYNN LEET, OI MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

GOIN-CONTRDLLED MECHANISM FOR Usn WITH vnnnme'rmonmne.

Application filed February 23, 1926. Serial No. 90,109

This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in coin controlled mechanism for use with vending machine, and the object of the invention is to provide a device of 5 the class stated which will be simple in construction, easy to operate and efiicient in operation. I

Another'object is to provide a coin controlled apparatus for use in vending mam chines which will have a rotary movement in one direction only when operating the parts of the machine.

In my invention I provide a plurality of discs rotatably mounted in bearings formed 15 in framing plates. Means are provided for holding a coin between the discs in. such a manner that'when the operating shaft is 1'0- tated, the coin raises directly or indirectly a lockingpawl clear of the notches formed 29 in the discs to allow free rotary movement thereof in one direction. Means are also provided to prevent backward movement of the discs.

In the drawin which illustrates my in- 25 vention in two the many ways it may be constructed, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa coin controlled apparatus with spring actuated locking pawls.

Figure 2 is an end so shown in Figure'l.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a coin controlled apparatus in which gravity controlled pawls are used.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the appa- 35. ratus shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3. i

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, 11 4o designates a pair of framing plates spaced apart by means of the distance pieces 12, through which and said plates, bolts 13 pass .to hold them in position. Rotatably mounted. in bearings 14 formed in the plates is the 45 spindle or shaft 15, part of which extends beyond the face of one of the plates. A handle 16 may be secured to or formed integral with the extension of the shaft. Rotatablymounted on the shaft are the so discs 17 the outer edges of which are made eccentric with the centre of the shaft and are adapted to form notches or, teeth 18 which engage or contact with a locking pawl elevation of the device 19 rotatably suspended from a pin 20 pass ing through the plates. The pawl 19 allows the discs to be moiied in one direction only and can only be released by means of a' coin 21 which is fed into the device through the chute 22 in such a manner that it lies between the discs, and is adapted to engage with a projection or pin on the pawl to raise it clear of the notches 18. Secured to one of the discs by any suitable means is the toothed gear wheel 23 which may engage with a similar toothed wheel 24 secured to a shaft 25 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 26 formed in the plates. Depending from the pawl pin 20 is the ratchet pawl 27 which is adapted to engage with the teeth of the wheel 23 in such a manner that the mechanism cannot be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow X, but will allow free movement in the opposite direction. A tension spring 28 may be connected to the pawl 19 at one end and to the pawl27 at the other end, to hold the awls in engagement with the teeth of the w eel '23 or the-notches formed in the face of the discs. It will be seen from the above description that the mechanism with the pawls in position is locked against movement in both directions. -Between the discs and secured to the shaft through which a pin 31 is placed, said pin being secured to the discs by passing through the apertures 32' formed therein.

The slot allows a limited free movement of the coin engaging pawl before it engages with the discs through the medium of the pin 31. llhis free movement of the awl 29 allows. the 7 locking pawl to be lifted through the edge of the coin coming in contact with the projection or pin 31" extending outwardly from the side of the pawl, so that the discs may be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows 33. The coin engaging pawl is formed with a concave ed e 34: adapted to engage with the ed e of t e coin to position same so that it wi l engage with the. pin 31* attached to the pawl to raise same clear of the notches formed in the discs.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5, 1' have shown a slightly modified type of coin controlled mechanism in which provision is made for using coins of different diameters and the same value and the locking pawls control ling the movement of the mechanism are operated by gravity. Referring more particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5, 11 designates a pair. of spaced framing plates having a spindle 15 rotatably mounted in hear ing 14 formed in the plates. Rotatably mounted on the spindle are the spaced discs '17 the outer edges 34 of which are eccenor 39 fed into the machine through theslots 40 and chutes 41 which guide the coin so that it lies between the discs. Secured to one of the discs by any suitable means is the ratchet toothed wheel 42, the teeth of which engage with a ratchet pawl 43 which. is operated by its own weight and is rotatably mounted on a pin 44 secured to any or both of the plates 11. The ratchet wheel and pawl' 'prevent movement of the handle in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow Z, which is. the operating movement of the device. It will be seen that the device described so far, with relation to Figures 3, 4 and 5 is locked against movement in both directions, between the .pawl 43 and the locking pawl 37. Between the discs and secured to the spindle 15 by any suitable means, are the coin receiving pawls 45 and 46. These awls are of'similar shapes, one, the small iar, being adapted for use with the larger coin, whereas the other pawl is used when a small coin or 'disc is used to operate the machine. Each of the pawls is provided with a slot 47 through which a pin 48 is placed, said pin being held in position by the discs. These slots are so arranged that they will allow a certain amount of free movement between the discs and the pawls between them, to allow the .cdge of a-coin resting dn recessedcurved port1ons49 of .the com receiving pawl, to raise the locking pawl-clear of the notch of the discs so that free movement of the mechanism may be obtained to operate the vending machine (not shown). It will be seen that each of the pawls 45 and 46 have diametrically opposite recesses formed in their outer edges as this mechanism has been designed to allow free movement of after the locking pawl has been released, but this may be modified to suit any degree of turningmovement by increasing or decreasing the numbers of recesses in the'pawls and also the number of. notches in the discs, both of which must correspond for proper working of 'themechanism. An operating handle 50 may be secured to or made integral with the spindle 15.

1,eee,242

Modifications may be made in the device without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The operationof the device is very simple. A coin is dropped into the chute and is so guided that it falls on to the edge of the coin receiving pawl between the discs, The coin rests in the recesses or concave edges of the receiving pawl in such a manner that the edge of the coin when -moved in the operating direction of the mechanism will raise the locking pawl clear of the discs either by engaging directly therewith or through the medium of pm 31%, and allow free movement of the machine. A certain predetermined free movement with respect to discs is allowed the coin receiving pawls by the provision of the slots, so that "the unlocking of the locking pawl will be made before any attempt is made to move the discs. The locking pawls may be operated by gravity or by springs shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the ratchet pawl for reventing backward movement of the machine is connected to the locking pawl to ensure positive working of both.

It will be'readily seen that when a projection. or pin is used on the locking pawl, a

better locking means is obtained, as the pin 31 is positioned approximately midway between the pawl support and its free end so that any movement transmitted to the pawl through the pin is considerably increased at the point where it contacts or engages with the teeth formed in the discs, so that much deeper teeth may be formed in said discs than when the pawl is raised directly by the coin at its free end. Deeper teeth on the discs means a safer operating mechanism as the pawl is less liable to disengage from the disc teeth through vibration.

The movement of this mechanism is a rotary movement, so that the shaft or spindle operating the machine ma be used for mounting thereon the discs an the coin receiving pawls. The device can only be moved in one direction when in operation, a feature which adds to the simplicity of the working of the device by the ordinary laymen. The number of parts comprising the device is very small, easily erected and.

to the shaft to rotate therewith and posi-- tioned between the discs, means connecting, the pawl to the discs to allow 'a' predeter-,

mined free movement between'them, a locking pawl engaging with notches formed in the discs to prevent movement of them in one direction and so positioned that it may be released by a coin held inthe coin receiv- -the discs, means engaging with the discs and the pawl to allow apredetermined free movement between them, means engaging with notches in the discs to lock them against rotation in one direction and positioned to be. released by a coin held by the receiving pawl, means to prevent movement of the device in the other direction and means to guide a coin between the-discs on to the receiving pawl.

3. Coin controlled mechanism comprising, a pair of spaced framing plates, a-shaft rotatably mounted in said plates, a pair of spaced discs rotatably mountedon the shaft, a coin receiving pawl secured to the shaft to rotatev therewith and positioned between the discs, a 'locking pawl engaging with notches formed in the discs, means connecting the pawl to the discs to allow a predetermined free movement between the to raise the locking pawl clear of the notches by means of a coin held by the coin receiving pawl, a toothed wheel secured to the shaft, and means engaging with the toothed wheel to prevent rotation of the discs in the opposite direction.

4. Coin controlled mechanism comprisin a pair of spaced framing plates, a sha t rotatably mounted in said plates, spaced discs rotatably mounted on said shaft .between the framing plates, a coin receiving pawl secured to the shaft to rotate therewith and positioned between the discs, a locking pawl engaging with notches formed in the discs, a projection on said locking pawl adapted to contact with and engage with the edge of a coin held in the receiving pawl to raise the locking pawl clear of the notches on movement of the receiving pawl, a pin extending through a slot in the receiving pawl and terminally secured to the discs to allow the locking pawl to have a limited movement independent'of said discs, at toothed wheel secured to the shaft, a ratchet pawl engaging with said toothed wheel to prevent movement at all times of the mechanism in one direction and tension springs arranged to hold the lockingpawl and the ratchet pawls in operative position. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LYNN T. LEET. 

